Married a US citizen... now what?

[JessBraisted]

Hey everyone, I am new to this site so please bear with me. I'm an 18 year old student from New Zealand, and about 6 months ago I met a US citizen online. I came over here in January of this year, and a month into me being here, he proposed (completely spontaneously). As of last weekend, we are now married (I'm so excited!), and obviously neither of us want me to go back to NZ now. So, we've been trying to figure out what it is we need to do in order for me to be able to stay here and work. So far, we are convinced that applying for a green card is the way to go, but we're not 100% sure. We've filled out both forms I-130 and I-485, and our question is, are we on the right track so far? We don't want to send these in and then find out we could've done this an easier (and cheaper) way later on.

Any advice would be very appreciated!!

Thank you,

Jess and Ethan Braisted

[volcanicus]

yes you are in the right track. all the available steps are shown on the USCIS site. now it is a waiting period to first take your biometrics (finger prints + pic) then wait. until then you should begin collecting enough information to support the legality of the marriage.

information collection:
- pics with the 2 of you
- bills that show your same address
- bills that have both names on them
- perhaps a house / car or any other but with both names on the title to show common ownership

look up the other threads about green cards based on marriage. make sure you begin collecting the information now - don't wait until the last minute.

last, make sure you both have a common understanding on basics things that will be asked during the interview. These include where / when/ how you met, names of parents, places/food/things you both like or dislike, address, how long you have lived there, what you guys do in common. those type of questions will be asked during the final interview.

[pattersoneric001]

If one of the spouses is a U.S. citizen. In fact, marriage is often referred to as the “fast track” to permanent residency. However, there are certain guidelines that must be met when applying for residency after marriage to a U.S. citizen.

If you are legally wed to a U.S. citizen, the experienced immigration attorneys at Legalize Me can help you obtain a green card and seek permanent residency.

The Bona Fide Marriage Requirement

The most important requirement in obtaining a green card through marriage is that you must have entered into a bona fide marriage. Below are some popular and perhaps the most effective ways for your immigration attorney to prove a bona fide marriage exists:

A wedding reception attended by the U.S. citizen spouse’s close relatives, especially parents and siblings
Owning joint property
Filing joint income tax returns
Having a child a together